Since the introduction of the cloth diaper, many attempts have been made by parents, as well as manufacturers, to improve the utility and basic folding configuration of the diaper. Some of the early modifications included, adding a loose liner around the area of the anus, placing a gathering material in the diaper's inner edge to hold the material tight against the legs of the human torso and adding snaps or hooks to eliminate the need for using safety pins to hold the diaper in place. None of the above prevented "diaper rash" nor the ability to adequately hold and contain urine and feces.
Secondary diaper design considerations, primarily implemented by diaper manufacturers, included the use of paper diapers having a combination of absorbent materials, a two dimensional contour shape and an inner leg gathering material. Some of the current and prior art diapers have also included various forms of integral disposal systems
However, none of the prior art patents disclose a diaper that collects urine and feces into an attached pull-through resilient bag that while placing the excrement into the bag, allows the baby's buttocks and rectal area to be cleaned.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,604,096 Dean, etal 5 August 1986 4,578,073 Dysart, etal 25 March 1986 4,560,380 Tharel 24 December 1985 3,776,233 Schaar 4 December 1973 3,369,545 Wanberg 20 February 1968 19,418 Hall 23 February 1858 ______________________________________
The Dean et al and Wanberg patents disclose diapers including integral disposal systems. The Dean et al is complicated and must be removed and handled before it is bagged. Therefore, it does not alleviate the problem of fowl smell and sight of the feces. The Wanberg patent is designed to be thrown away after the diaper is soiled. The entire diaper is wrapped-up after use and placed in a pouch that is part of the diaper.
The Tharel and Hall patents disclose diapers having urine receiving receptacles. The Tharel patent is a mini-diaper that compensates for reduction in size by incorporating extra space in added pleats or passages for the retention of soil. The Hall patent is very complicated and not practical. The design includes an air cushion sized to fit the posterior of an infant and includes an opening in the center. The cushion is combined with a cloth and a bag of waterproof material such that when the cushion is attached to the body, the excrement and urine is discharged through the opening in the cushion and into the bag where it will be retained
The Dysart et al and Schaar patents disclose only general contoured diapers and inserts. The Dysart et al patent discloses a waste-containment garment comprising a disposable waste-containment insert secured to the insert inside a non-elasticized over-garment such as a disposable diaper. This device is not cost-effective. The Schaar patent consists of an imperfect contourable diaper which includes a pleated fluid-pervious cover sheet and a fluid-pervious back sheet secured to each other and to the lateral and longitudinal edges of the diaper. This diaper is contourable upon stretching and will only maintain this contour as long as a pulling force exists.